Beams for railroad track structure



Jan. 24, 1967 N. K. MOSES ETAL BEAMS FOR RAILROAD TRACK STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 7, 1965 INVENTORS 450/v K M0555 Eager 4 Mfg/M BY I M, ATTORNEY6' 1967 N. K. MOSES ET AL BEAMS FOR RAILROAD TRACK STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 7. 1965 INVENTORs Azswv K [11055.5 EBf/ZT H Wad (ang- BY fla flmw ATTORNEYS Jan. 24, 1967 M9555 ET AL 3,300,140

7 BEAMS FOR RAILROAD TRACK STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 7, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet E' I Emom Maw/v K M00555.

ATTORNEYS Jan. 24, 1967 N. K. MOSES ET AL 3,300,140

BEAMS FOR RAILROAD TRACK STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 7, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORB 4 sa/v K 1 79655 ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofifice 33%,140 Patented Jan. 24, 13967 road Permanent Way Products Corp, Ashtabula, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 512,124 21 Claims. (Cl. 23825) This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application, Serial No. 273,135, now Patent Number 3,223,328 filed April 15, 1963.

The present invention relates to improvements in track structure for railroads or the like and, more particularly, to improvements in reinforced concrete beams for track structure which is capable of supporting trains travelling at speeds in the order of two hundred miles per hour.

Various concrete track constructions are known in the art. However, many of the presently known concrete track structures have not been satisfactory in use or under conditions of installation or replacement. In one presently known track structure, a standard road bed cannot be used, and it is necessary to provide very accurately aligned foundation supports, which is an expensive proposition. Parallel concrete beams, connected by integrally molded cross members, are then positioned on the accurately aligned foundation supports. This is objectionable since the entire system can be faulted by a simple misalignment in the foundation.

Each parallel beam of this system has an enlarged groove in the top surface for receiving a movable resilient material upon which the rail rests. Shaped sides are provided to receive the integrally cast cross members, and there are are recessed ends for receiving tying members that must be grouted in place. This construction is not satisfactory in use because the resilient pads tend to walk out in the direction of the rail, particularly with rail traffic that flows predominantly in one direction. That is, the pad will be compressed in a wave form, travelling in the direction of traffic, and as traffic passes, the pad will not return to its original configuration, but will creep forward, and bunch up so that parts of the rail are supported at different heights, with resultant detrimental riding properties.

It has also been found that replacement or repair of this construction is an objectionably difficult procedure. To effect replacement of a damaged parallel beam, it is necessary to drill into the concrete and cut the embedded reinforcing elements. This is time consuming and expensive in terms of labor and down time.

Our copending application, Serial No. 273,135, provides a track structure and component parts thereof, that is an improvement over present practice in that it can be used on existing road beds without foundation supports. The structure according to Serial No. 273,135 serves to cushion impact loads of rolling stock, and increases longevity of the track structure with high speed trains.

This rail track construction includes spaced rows of elongated precast reinforced concrete beams supported on an ordinary road bed, wherein each of the rows has the elongated or longitudinal beams therein arranged in abutting end-to-end relationship. Each of the elongated beams has an upper surface and downwardly and outwardly sloping side Walls. A plurality of precast concrete cross beams are also provided wherein each of the cross beams has oppositely disposed sloping ends that are complementary in slope to the sloping side walls of the elongated beams. The cross beams are spaced from each other and each cross beam is separate from,

but extends between oppositely disposed side walls of v the spaced rows of elongated beams. Means are provided for rigidly connecting each cross beam to the oppositely disposed elongated beams in the spaced rows, and means are provided for anchoring a traction rail along the upper surface of the elongated concrete beams of each row.

This construction is an improvement over the standard practices of supporting traction rails upon wooden cross ties with steel tie plates, or upon concrete slabs and concrete pier posts or foundation supports; and it is particularly satisfactory in providing a track structure for underground installations, capable of properly supporting railroad rolling structure moving at extremely high speeds, for example, speeds in the order of 200 miles per hour. However, the structure of application, Serial No. 273,135, is not completely satisfactory because it is unduly complicated for some open road installations.

For example, the longitudinal beams of Serial No. 273,135 include interengaging male and female ends for the purpose of preventing sidewise movement of the longitudinal beams with respect to each other. This is desirable for permanent underground installations. However, this construction sometimes is difficult to repair in above ground installations when there is damage from accidents, derailments, or weather, and it is desired to make replacement with the least possible traffic interruption. This cannot be done easily in the case of continuous or welded rail, since it is necessary to cut the rail before replacement of the beam can be effected by vertical movement thereof, after which, the rail must be rewelded.

The cross beam ends that are complementary in slope to the downwardly and outwardly sloping side walls of the longitudinal beams, according to Serial No. 273,135, sometimes bring about difficulties in mounting since the cross beams must be carefully aligned against the longitudinal beam side walls, before the beams can be fastened together. The sloping side walls cannot always be accurately relied upon for proper placement, because of gage differences that may arise from imperfect molding. It has further been found according to the existing structure, that the male and female ends of the longitudinal beams and the joints between the cross beam ends and the longitudinal beam side walls are subject to wear, cracking, and spalling between interengaging surfaces, because of frictional intermovement transmitted from the rolling stock. While it is possible to obviate these defects in the existing structure with gasket pads or the like, the existing structure makes the use and accurate placement of gasket pads quite difficult, due to the shapes involved. Hence, it is desired as a principal object of this invention to obviate the prior art defects, as well as objections to the structure according to the application copending herewith, and provide still further improvements for certain rail installations.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved track structure for railroads, rapid transit systems or the like which is economical to install and maintain, and which may be used with road beds of loose ballast or concrete.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a track structure utilizing low cost precast concrete beams of improved construction, with improved means to rigidly tie the beams together, wherein the beams can be easily installed and replaced.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improvement in track structure for high speed rolling stock in which rocking motion and vibration are virtually eliminated, and in which the beams are capable of manufac- 3 ture on or off location in the manner of application, Serial No. 273,135.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved track structure having a continuous resilient rail seat that is anchored in place, preventing walking out, which rail seat will continuously elastically absorb the destructive forces of shock and impact, and continuously dampen vibrations that are normally transmitted to the rail foundation.

Other objects of the invention, together with an appre ciation for the advantages thereof, will be apparent from the following description, claims, and drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, partly in cross section, showing a partially completed rail track construction according to the improvement of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional View of a longitudinal beam, greatly enlarged, and taken along line 22 in FIGURE 1, also showing a preferred mounting of the traction rail on a continuous resilient pad according to the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view, taken along line 3-3 in FIGURE 1, and illustrating in detail the connection between the cross beams and the elongated beams;

FIGURE 4a is a broken out side elevation of the cross beam receiving recess in the side wall of an elongated beam, taken along line 4a4a in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 4]; is a cross sectional view taken along line 4b-4b in FIGURE 3 and illustrating the non bearing bottom surface of the improved cross beam according to the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a broken out view, partly in cross section, and taken along line 5 5 in FIGURE 4 on a greatly enlarged scale, to illustrate in detail the cooperation between the endless pad, rail base flange, rail spike and insert plug according to the invention;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the continuous resilient rail mounting pad that is utilized according to the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation taken along line 7--7 in FIGURE 1 and partly in section, illustrating the relationship between flat abutting elongated beam ends, the traction rail, the continuous rail mounting pad, and the cross beam according to the invention; and

FIGURES 8, 8a, 9, 9a and 10, 10a are cross sectional and side elevation views, respectively, of alternately useful longitudinal beam side wall sections that are adapted to receive a tie bar nut for securing one end of a cross beam according to the invention.

In the drawings, like reference numerals are used to represent like parts throughout the several figures. Referring particularly to FIGURE 1, the track construction according to the invention is generally designated by the reference numeral It), and as illustrated, is supported on a suitable road bed 12. The road bed 12 may be made of the usual crushed rocks, compacted, ballasted and suitably levelled to receive the track structure 1% It is understood that the road bed 12 may also be a concrete slab (indicated at 12? in FIGURE 2) or any other level surface capable of supporting the heavy loads imposed by the track structure It). The track structure 10 includes parallel rows of elongated precast concrete beams 14 which are tied together as a rigid structure by means of the separate precast concrete lateral or cross beams 16 and tie bars 63. Each of the parallel rows is provided with a plurality of the elongated or longitudinal beams 14 laid in abutting (FIGURE 7) end-to-end relationship on the road bed. The longitudinal beams 14 are held in accurate and permanent gage by the lateral beams 16 and tie bars (described hereinafter). This system can be quickly and easily installed on existing rail lines without interrupting rail traffic.

The elongated concrete beams 14 are shown as essentially straight in the drawings, but it will be understood that where a curve in the track is desired, the beams 14 4 can be suitably curved to any deisred radius. Each row of concrete beams 14 is adapted to support one traction rail 17 of the usual type, having a traction surface 18 joined by a vertical flange 19 to a base flange 24 that slopes gradually upwardly to join the vertical flange along a line 19'. The traction rails 17 may be of the continuous type, and preferably, the rails 17 are mounted on an essentially endless or continuous resilient pads 4t described hereinafter, which are laid in abutting end-to-end relationship on the surface 30. The endless rails are fabricated by welding in situ, or by laying essentially continuous rail that is approximately fifteen hundred feet in length, according to current practice in the art.

Since one of the intended uses of the track construction according to this invention, is with continuous rails, the elongated beams 14, which are relatively short for ease in handling, are preferably provided with squared off ends 22 (FIGURES 1 and 7). The abutting squared olf ends are separated from each other by one, and preferably two resilient rubber pads 42, composed for example, of closed cell neoprene sponge. The pads 42 prevent chafing be.- tween the beam ends 22, compensate for expansion and contraction, and prevent ice formation.

It has been found that the use of squared off ends facilitates replacement of the elongated beams 14, or cross beams 16, without disturbing the continuous rail. This can be done by simple sidewise movement of a damaged elongated beam and/or cross beams beneath the traction rail 17. Thereafter, a new elongated beam can be pushed into place beneath the rail, substantially without movement of the rail, and with practically no disruption of rail traffic. The cross beams can also be easily replaced with this construction, since the elongated beam (or long beam, as they are sometimes called) can be moved sidewise, to and fro, to free or tighten up on a cross beam. Usually, the beams 14 are thirty-nine feet in length the standard rail length, as this facilitates handling by existing rail equipment and crews. Other lengths may be found suitable, however.

As in application Serial No. 273,135, the beams 14 are preferably provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending steel reinforcing cables or rods 26 that can be prestressed if desired, prior to or after the pouring of concrete to form the beam. The beams may be addition-ally reinforced with a steel spiral tie 28 to prevent lateral or vertical misalignment of the prestressed strands of cables or rods 26 that may be threequarters inch in thickness. The beams 14 are preferably molded in suitable forms after the cables or rods 26 have been placed in the forms and bonded into position by the spiral ties 28, for example, on a six-inch pitch throughout the length to which the beam is to be made. Individual stirrups of three-eighths inch wire can also be used at two foot intervals. Concrete may then be poured into the form, followed by curing. A four-hour steam cure is preferred, particularly in cold weather, followed by one or more days of openair curing to provide a five-thousand pound test concrete, after which the beams 14 can normally be handled for assembly in a track construction.

The beams 14 have an upper surface 30 which may be provided with a slight inward cant (see FIGURE 3), for example, one inch in twenty (for European systems) or one inch in forty (for US. rail systems), or other cant, if desired. Nhen a cant is used, it is desirable for some locations to occasionally interrupt the pads 4t) and provide a suitable gap (for example, one inch wide) to permit drainage and prevent build-up of moisture and condensation which might otherwise interfere with the electrical insulating value. The side walls 32 of the beams preferably slope downward and outwardly from the top surface 30 (although the side walls could be straight or canted inwardly), while the bottom surface 34 preferably lies in a horizontal plane (FIGURE 2). If the beams are to be used for existing rail lines, they may have a vertical height of sixteen inches; Whereas if the beams are to be used in an urban rapid transit system, they may have a vertical height of eight inches. Normally, the width of the upper surface is about fourteen inches; whereas the width of the bottom surface 34 is about twenty-four inches.

As best shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 5, the beams 14 are provided with securing means receiving openings 24 in the top surface 30 thereof. These openings could be drilled or bored, but such procedures are expensive and not reliable for accuracy. The openings 24 are therefore preferably precast in the beams, which is preferred for economy, and for accurate alignment. The openings 24 may be fitted with cast-in bolts, or with expanding anchortype bolts. However, it is preferred to use a vinyl resin spike hole insert plug similar to that disclosed in US. application, Serial No. 127,046, now Patent No. 3,191,- 864, dated June 29, 1965, but modified to cooperate with the continuous resilient pad 40 (FIGURE 6) according to the invention. The modified insert plug is designated generally by the reference numeral and is square (for example, one inch square) in exterior configuration, having a spike receiving opening 37 for receiving a railway spike 39. The spike receiving opening 37 may be slightly smaller in cross section than a standard railway spike 39, as described in application, Serial No. 127,046, for operation as also described in such application. According to the present invention, it is preferred that the insert plug 35, and the opening 24, be of a greater length than the railway spike 39 (for example, four and one-half inches long), particularly for use with electrical railway systems, so as to prevent grounding out of electrical current from the lower end of spike 39 to the concrete, and/or reinforcing rod therein. The preferred relationship of the spike 39, plug 35 and spike hole 24 is illustrated in FIG- URES 2, 3 and 5.

The mounting of rail 18 on the upper surface 30 of the beams 14, is illustrated in the several figures of the drawings, and is carried out by first placing a resilient pad 40 (FIGURE 6) on the flat upper surface of the longitudinal beam 30. While it is possible to provide a recessed surface, or groove in the surface 30, to receive the pad 40, this is undesirable since a groove construction tends to trap moisture, dirt and debris, and thereby lose the insulating value that is desired for electrical railway use and for signal systems. The pad 40 has recesses 44 therein for receiving the insert plugs 35, and these recesses are placed in alignment With the holes 24. Thereafter, the rail 18 is placed on the pad 40 such that the base flange 20 rests on the pad surface 42 in alignment with the notches or recesses 44, as indicated by the lines 20'. The width of the pad 40 (for example, even inches Wide by one-quarter inch thick), and the location of the recesses 44, is predetermined by the width of the rail base flange 20 (usually five and one-half to six inches wide) so that the base flange will describe a line 20' on the pad surface 42. The insert plugs 35' may be installed in the holes 24, before or after placement of the pad 40, but in either case, the plug 35 will rise above the surface 30, above the surface 41 of the pad 40, and preferably, to the height of the rail base flange 20, as best shown in FIGURE 5. This construction anchors the pad 40 in place. Where pad recesses 44 are not provided, anchoring can be accomplishedby driving the spike 39 directly through a fiat surfaced pad 40 (not shown) and into suitably recessed spike hole insert 35" of the type shown in FIGURE 10. However, this construction is not easy to align accurately, and is therefore not preferred.

When the spikes 39 are driven into the openings 37 of the inserts 35, they cause lateral expansion of the inserts, as described in Serial No. 127,046. Due to the alignment of the openings 24 and the recesses 44, the s ike caused expansion of the insert plugs 35 will make them abut tightly against the edge of the rail base flange. The spike caused expansion of insert plugs 35 on each side of the base flange 20 will then anchor the rail in place on the pad 40. Preferably, the spike head 39' is not driven hard against the base flange 20, but a gap A (FIGURE 5) is left therebetween. The gap A is not only an insulating factor, but it has been discovered according to the invention, that this type of mounting is well suited to high speed rail track constructions. This construction is particularly suited to installations using continuous rail, where it is necessary to compensate for expansion and contraction.

As indicated above, the elongated beams 14 are connected together by means of cross beams 16 and tie bars 63. The cross beams 16 have an upper surface 60, side walls 62, and bottom end walls 64 which rest on the surfaces 47 of the recesses 46. The cross beams are also provided with a depressed base to oifset center bind (FIGURE 4b). The depressed base 67 is defined by the inwardly sloping walls 66 of the recesses 65 and forms, in effect, a nonbearing bottom surface. A nonbearing bottom surface is preferred with a loose stone ballast road bed 12, since the narrow base surface 67 will cut into the loose ballast, to prevent riding up, buckling, or any lifting of the cross beam and thereby aid in maintaining a level track construction for high speed rail trafiic.

The drawings disclose the cross beams 16 as having a vertical height less than the height of the elongated beams 14, which is preferred. Any desired number of cross beams 16 may be used between a pair of 39 feet long elongated beams 14, but it has been found that four of such beams suitably anchored to the respective elongated beams at nine foot nine inch intervals, are sufficient to provide adequate strength and sufi'icient rigidity to the supporting structure for the traction rails 18.

The concrete cross beams 16 are also precast and may be provided with a plurality of reinforcing steel rods or cables 68 that may be prestressed Such rods or cables are suitably placed in .a prestressing form prior to pour ing of the concrete, extending through the length of the cross beam 16 and terminating at each end of the same. Each end of the cross beam 16 is straight up and down, and squared off for cooperation with the recesses 45 (FIGURES 2, 4a and 4b) which are suitably provided on the inside walls 32 of the long beams 14 for receiving the ends of the cross beams 16. The recesses 45 are defined by an end wall 46, a bottom surface 47, and triangular shaped side walls 49. As shown in FIG- URE 3, each cross beam end is preferably cushioned by a series of resilient insert pads 52 formed, for example, of closed cell neoprene sponge. While the cross beam end bottom surface 64 preferably rests on a vinyl resin joint pad 50, for example of one-eighth inch thickness, more such pads may be used as a height adjustment, if desired. The resilient pads 52 between the ends of the cross beams 16 and the end walls 46 of the respective recesses in the beams 14 assist the dampening of any shock, impact or vibration and provide a final and accurate gage adjustment. These pads also prevent chalking that may otherwise occur from vibration between concrete surfaces or between concrete and steel. There will be little vibration at this point, however, as vibration is largely absorbed or eliminated by the continuous pads 40 used to support the rails 18 on the beams 14. It has been found advantageous according to the invention, to use two pads 52 between each cross beam end and the corresponding recess wall 46. This construction permits an easy gage adjustment since one or more pads 52 can be :added or removed during assembly of. the track structure, or during subsequent repair periods. The bottom pad 50 on the wall 47 is provided to cushion the cross beam end from the recess surface 47 and prevent wear therebetween, No padding is illustrated for use adjacent the side recess walls 49, but padding can be used here if desired.

As mentioned above, the cross beam 16 is provided with squared off end walls, each of which is complementary in shape to the respective side wall recess 45 of the beams 14 in the rows of beams. As will best be understood from reference to FIGURE 3, each end of the cross beam 16 is secured to the respective beams 14 by means of a tie bar. To accomplish this, each cross beam 16 is provided with a hole 62 extending throughout its length and mating with hole 56 in the resilient pads 52. The hole 62 may be formed by a tubular steel pipe (FIGURE 4b) which remains in the cross beam after the concrete is poured. The hole may also be formed by a suitable form that can be removed after casting. Each of the concrete beams 14 is provided with tnansversely extending holes 36 therethrough, the holes 36 being adapted to align with the hole 62 in the cross beam 16 when the cross beam is properly positioned between opposite recesses 45 in the beams 14. A steel tie rod or bar 63 extends through the hole 62 in cross beam 16 and through the respective openings 36 in the elongated beams 14 and out of the ends of the latter. The tie bar 63 is provided with threaded ends for receiving a tie bar nut 69 and a washer plate or bearing plate 6?. Preferably, a resilient gasket 58 (FIGURES Sat-a) is provided to seat the bearing plate 69' against the surface 55. The tie bar 63 is well suited for use in open road locations where there is sufiicient room to insert the tie bar through the core of the cross beam 16 as well as the holes 36 in the beams 14.

FIGURES 8, 8a, 9 and 9a, 10 and 10a show alternative embodiments of the recess 55 or pressure wall for mounting the tie bar nut, that have been found suitable for use according to the invention. In FIGURES 8 and 8a, this member 55 is shaped identically with the recess 45 and is defined by pressure wall 56, bottom wall 57 and side walls 59. This square recess embodiment is preferred in terms of ease in molding since it makes the beams reversible, in that either the recess 45, or the recess 55 (or both in some constructions), can be used to receive the squared off ends of cross beams 16, and the recesses 45 and 55 offer the advantage that they are complementary in shape with the cross beam ends, to provide a highly stable structure.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 9, 9a, the tie bar nut pressure mounting is provided by the square face protrusion or boss 55. This boss has an outwardly extending pressure face 56, and side walls 59 that merge with the side wall 32 of the longitudinal beam 14 along a line 57. There is no bottom surface, but a top wall 30 joins the upper wall surfaces 56' and 59 with the top surface 30 of the elongated beam 14. This embodiment can be molded by providing a suitable recess or cut-out in a molding form. This embodiment has the advantage of offering great freedom of movement in mounting and fastening the nut 69 on the tie bar 63 since it has been found difl icult to use a standard wrench in the recess 55 of the FIGURE 8 embodiment. With the FIGURE 9 embodiment however, there is no restriction on above ground movement, greatly facilitating manual tightening and adjustment of the nut 69 with standard road gang tools.

The embodiment of FIGURES 10, 10a is similar to the FIGURE 8 embodiment in that the pressure mounting for the nut 69 is provided by an angle recess member 55". The member 55" has a shortened bottom wall '57 and outwardly sloping side walls 59 which outline the trapezoid like shape of pressure wall 56". The bottom wall 57" may slope slightly downwardly and outwardly to prevent collecting dirt and moisture. The FIGURE 10 embodiment offers substantially the same facility as the FIGURE 9 embodiment, when tightening the nut 69 with a gang wrench since the wrench can be easily moved from side to side, as will be apparent from the drawings. The FIGURE 10 embodiment also offers the advantage of the first embodiment (FIGURE 8) regarding ease of molding since the recess 55" can be formed by placing a suitably shaped insert in an ordinary closed bottom mold for use in molding the long beams 14 in upside down position. The FIGURE 10 embodiment also illustrates a further modification according to the invention, wherein the rail 17 can be mounted on the elongated beams 14- with the use of the resilient rail seat indicated generally at 40", which rail seat is the subject of copending U.S. application, Serial No. 377,462, filed June 19, 1964. The rail seat 40 is suitable for use in the present track construction since the spike holes or bolt receiving openings thereof have the same gage as the spike holes 24, according to the present invention. This type of construction is well suited to electrical railway applications, where a greater insulating factor may be desired. The securing member 39" which may be a railway spike, screw spike, or nut and bolt combination, can then be fastened with the aid of the spike hole insert 35 which is level with the top surface 30 of the concrete beam as described in application, Serial No. 127,046. In these figures, it will be understood that the pads 52 and 58 should be suitably slotted (for example, at 58' in FIGURE 9a) to permit installation and removal on the tie bar 63. This will permit gage adjustment, using the pads 52 and 58, without removing the tie bar nut 69. This type of gage adjustment is particularly desirable, since it avoids the problem of altering the cast in spike receiving recesses 24 in the elongated concrete beams.

Throughout the specification, the flat pads 40, 42, 50, 52 and 58 are referred to as resilient. These components of the track structure can be made of a primary ingredient of natural rubber having the usual fillers, accelerators, catalysts and a secondary ingredient of neoprene, for example, 70% natural rubber and 30% neoprene. It is also within the scope of the present invention to make such components of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, or other elastomeric materials. Especially preferred for the resilient pads 42 and 52 is closed cell neoprene sponge or closed cell urethane sponge to act as a vibration damper. Closed cell materials are prefer-red to avoid moisture absorption. Solid elasto mers, rubber, or vinyl resin may also be suitable in some instances. The resilient material for the pads 40, 5t) and 58 and the insert plug 35, is preferably a vinyl resin.

As is now apparent, the present invention provides an improved track structure which fully satisfies the advantages and objects of the invention described in the specification and disclosed in the drawings. However, certain modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore, the terminology used in the specification is for the purposes of description and not limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a rail track construction for supporting spaced rows of traction rails on a road bed, the combination comprising: spaced rows of elongated precast reinforced concrete beams supported on the road bed, each of said elongated beams having a fiat upper surface with side walls depending therefrom and opposite squared off ends, each of the elongated beams having recessed means in the side walls there-of to receive a cross beam end, each of the rows having the elongated beams therein arranged in abutting end-to-end relationship; a plurality of precast concrete cross beams, each of the cross beams having oppositely disposed squared off ends, said cross beams being spaced from each other and each extending between and having its ends received in oppositely disposed recessed means of the spaced rows of elongated beams; tie bar means for connecting each cross beam to the oppositely disposed elongated beams; and continuous resilient rail seat means for supporting a traction rail on the upper surface of the elongated concrete beams of each row.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the resilient rail seat is a substantially continuous flat rubber pad.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the fiat upper surface of said elongated beams have inward cants of about one inch in twenty inches to about one inch in forty inches and wherein drainage gaps are provided in said continuous pad.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said pad is notched for receiving anchoring means which anchor a traction rail along an upper surface of the pad, said anchoring means passing through the notches to anchor the pad in place and to prevent Walking out of the pad.

5. A track structure for high speed railroads and the like comprising: parallel rows of traction rails, each having a base flange and each being mounted on a longitudinally extending reinforced concrete beam disposed in parallel rows of longitudinally extending beams on a road bed, each row having a plurality of such longitudinal beams arranged in abutting end-to-end relationship, the ends thereof being so shaped as to permit independent sid'ewise movement of each longitudinal beam with respect to the traction rail mounted thereon, each longitudinal beam having a relatively flat top surface and downwardly and outwardly sloping side walls and a relatively flat bottom surface, the inwardly facing inside walls of each longitudinal beam having a plurality of recessed means therein, each recessed means being defined by a vertical wall as a pressure wall, a horizontal wall as a seat and side walls connecting the vertical and horizontal walls with the downward-1y and outwardly sloping inside wall; and :a plurality of reinforced concrete cross beams, the cross beams being spaced from each other and each extending between oppositely disposed recessed means of the inside walls of the longitudinal beams, each cross beam having top, bottom and side surfaces and oppositely disposed ends, each cross beam end being seated in a longitudinal beam inside wall recessed means and complementary in shape therewith such that horizontal and vertical moments of force acting on and through the cross beam ends will be transferred through the corresponding horizontal and vertical walls of said inside wall recessed means to thereby avoid slippage between the cooperating surfaces of said cross beam ends and longitudinal beam inside wall recessed means; means for connecting each cross beam to oppositely disposed elongated beams in said parallel rows; and means for anchoring a traction rail along the upper surface of the elongated concrete beams of each row.

6. The track structure of claim 5 wherein the ends of the longitudinal beams are squared off to permit said sidewise movement.

7. The track structure of claim 5 including at least one resilient pad disposed between abutting longitudinal beam ends to absorb expansion and prevent chalking of the concrete surfaces.

8. The track structure of claim 5 including at least one resilient pad serving as a gage adjustment and disposed between the cross beam ends and the longitudinal beam inside wall recessed means to absorb expansion and prevent chalking of the concrete surfaces.

9. The track structure of claim 8 including a resilient pad disposed between the cross beam bottom end and 10 the recessed means bottom wall to prevent chalking of the concrete surfaces.

10. The track structure of claim 5 wherein the side walls of the cross beams are turned in along the lower edges thereof and a narrowed bottom wall, providing a nonbearing bottom surface to ofiset center binding on the road bed.

11. The track structure of claim 5 wherein the cross beams and oppositely disposed longitudinal beams are held together by means of a tie bar passing therethrough and secured at each end with atie bar nut and washer late.

P 12. The track structure of claim 11 including a resilient gasket pad disposed between the washer plate and longitudinal beam outside Wall.

13. The track structure of claim 11 wherein the outside walls of said longitudinal beams have pressure mounting means for the tie bar nut and washer plate.

14. The track structure of claim 13 wherein the pressure mounting means is recessed and complementary in shape to the inside wall recessed means.

15. The track structure of claims 13 wherein the pressure mounting means is a boss-like protrusion from the longitudinal beam outside walls.

16. The track structure of claim 13 wherein the pressure mounting means is recessed and provided with upwardly and outwardly sloping side walls.

17. The track structure of claim 5 wherein the means for anchoring the traction rail includes recessed openings in the flat top surface of the longitudinal beams, and resilient spike hole inserts received therein, each spike hole insert rising above the longitudinal beam top surface at least to the top surface of the rail base flange, and a railway spike tightly received in said spike hole insert, said spike having no point of contact with the rail base flange.

18. The track structure of claim 5 including a resilient rail seat disposed between the traction rails and the flat top surface of the longitudinal beams.

19. The track structure of claim 18 wherein the resilient rail seat is a substantially continuous flat rubber pad.

20. The track structure of claim 19 wherein the flat top surface of the longitudinal beam has an inward cant of about one inch in twenty inches to about one inch in forty inches and drainage gaps are provided in said continuous pad.

21. The track structure of claim 19 wherein the pad is notched and the traction rail anchoring means pass through the notches to anchor the pad in place and prevent walking out.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 964,190 7/ 1910 Smelling 23825 2,750,118 6/ 6 Hastings et a1. 23 825 3,104,059 9/ 1963 Gordon 23 82.6

ART HUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

R. A. BERTSCH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A RAIL TRACK CONSTRUCTION FOR SUPPORTING SPACED ROWS OF TRACTION RAILS ON A ROAD BED, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: SPACED ROWS OF ELONGATED PRECAST REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAMS SUPPORTED ON THE ROAD BED, EACH OF SAID ELONGATED BEAMS HAVING A FLAT UPPER SURFACE WITH SIDE WALLS DEPENDING THEREFROM AND OPPOSITE SQUARED OFF ENDS, EACH OF THE ELONGATED BEAMS HAVING RECESSED MEANS IN THE SIDE WALLS THEREOF TO RECEIVE A CROSS BEAM END, EACH OF THE ROWS HAVING THE ELONGATED BEAMS THEREIN ARRANGED IN ABUTTING END-TO-END RELATIONSHIP; A PLURALITY OF PRECAST CONCRETE CROSS BEAMS, EACH OF THE CROSS BEAMS HAVING OPPOSITELY DISPOSED SQUARED OFF ENDS, SAID CROSS BEAMS BEING SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND EACH EXTENDING BETWEEN AND HAVING ITS ENDS RECEIVED IN OPPOSITELY DISPOSED RECESSED MEANS OF THE SPACED ROWS OF ELONGATED BEAMS; TIE BAR MEANS FOR CONNECTING EACH CROSS BEAM TO THE OPPOSITELY DISPOSED ELONGATED BEAMS; AND CONTINUOUS RESILIENT RAIL SEAT MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A TRACTION RAIL ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE ELONGATED CONCRETE BEAMS OF EACH ROW. 